


The Phantom In The Thieves

by pitoumugis



Category: Persona 5
Genre: Agender Character, Alternate Universe - Different Protagonist, Gen
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-08-31
Updated: 2019-09-07
Packaged: 2020-10-03 21:15:33
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 5,778
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20459579
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/pitoumugis/pseuds/pitoumugis
Summary: In another world, it is not Akira Kurusu who was arrested that night. It was not Akira Kurusu who became the leader of the Phantom Thieves. It was not Akira Kurusu who changed the world.It was, in fact, a young magician in the making by the name of Casper Magnusson; a childish teen with wide golden eyes that always saw the magic in everything....In which I wonder for a moment, what it would be like if my OC were the protagonist of Persona 5, and found it quite fitting and interesting, so I decided to take a crack at it. First and foremost, Casper isn't even a Persona OC to begin with, but they have their own little story and world, which I'm excited to bring in and reveal during the story. Other original characters from Casper's life may show up as well.





	1. Chapter 1

“I didn’t expect it’d be you,” is what she says in lieu of greeting as the door clicked closed behind her. Her tone is disbelieving and... a little sad, somehow. Pitiful, perhaps.

Casper can barely lift their head as she approaches and sits down on the other side of the table, her brown eyes casting over the many bruises that litter their round face as her brows knit in concern. They trail down, and land on a needle, discarded on the floor. “Those bastards,” she hisses out under her breath, before her eyes return to them. She leans forward. “Can you hear me? It seems you’ve been through a lot,”

Her concern is touching, and reminiscent of her sister’s, Casper thinks fondly, managing a nod to the woman.

Sae Nijima sighs, leaning back in her seat with her arms crossed. “Almost anything can happen in here, and I can’t stop them,” she says. “That’s why I _ need _ you to answer me honestly.” Sae stresses, her voice softening as she looks over them— So small, so soft. Despite everything, it’s difficult to believe the child in front of her could commit all those crimes... Sae sighs.

The prosecutor leans forward. “What was your objective? Why did you cause such a major incident?” She interrogates, slipping into a professional calm, pushing back her concern. Focus. “I didn’t think it was a prank from the get-go, but I couldn’t assemble a case for prosecution.” Sae frowns. “It’s because I couldn’t figure out the method.”

Casper, against all odds, giggles. “Magic,” they whisper.

Sae’s eyes sharpen. “This isn’t a joke,” she scolds, but then glances away. “Though, in this case...” She pauses, then shakes her head. “No, this isn’t a game. What happened has a scientific explanation,” she doesn’t sound so sure.

“Magic,” Casper echoes softly. “Is science too.” Their golden eyes slide closed tiredly, as if they’d had this conversation a million times before.

Sae doesn’t reply to that. “... Well, it seems you’re coherent.” She says instead. “I need you to work with me here,” Sae crosses her arms. “When and where did you find out about that world? How is it even _ possible _ to steal another’s heart?” She inquires. “Tell me your account of everything,”

“_ ... Start from the very beginning _,”

* * *

“_ Damn brat, I’ll sue! _”

Casper jolts awake with a shake of the train, a small gasp on their lips as they part from the remnants of a dream, or maybe a nightmare. Memories are haunting, but it’s the feelings that shake them to their core— the feeling of being so powerless on that night. No, not just that night, but ever since then, the feeling had followed them; like a shackle chained around their neck, dragging them down.

They clutch the bag in their lap and take a deep breath to calm their nerves, focusing on the small ghoul keychain attached to the strap. They offer it a shaky smile, as if it were a familiar friend.

They’re okay. It’s okay.

With a sigh, they rise from their seat on the train, stretching their stiff legs as the train comes to a halt. It was a long ride to Shibuya, and the short nap on the train only left them feeling drowsy— They practically get shoved out of the train as the crowd shuffles out.

If they could blame the following on their sleepiness, would they? They know logically, it must be right, but they can’t help the wonder in their eyes at the other possibilities.

This is, walking through the crowded streets, they slide out their phone to check for directions, feeling hopelessly lost all alone in a new city, the cute ghost-shaped phone case smiling at them as they pull it out. They don’t get very far, when they notice something strange; a new app on their phone, the creepy looking logo staring them down.

It sends a shiver down Casper’s spine, and— 

... Looking up, the world is frozen around them. Is this a flash mob? They wonder, looking around in confusion, but their gold eyes catch on something bright, _ burning _, calling to them. It’s far and difficult to see, but in the center of the blue flames, there’s the ruffles of pitch black feathers.

It feels familiar, somehow.

Before Casper can look around, wide eyed, to see if anyone else is seeing this, they blink and it’s gone, and the world stirs back to life again which earns a flinch from the teen. A hallucination? They’ve never hallucinated before. What could cause such a thing now? Or perhaps... they’ve stumbled upon something supernatural.

The thought excites them, even if they know it’s ridiculous. They’re just tired, of course. Right? Casper turns their attention back to their phone after a few more moments of awed, confused staring. They catch sight of the ominous app again, and after starting at it blankly for several seconds, they decide to delete it. _ I hope that’s not a virus _.

The thought lingers in the back of their head as they walk, streets changing around them as they navigate the city to Yongen-Jaya, until it’s nothing more than a footnote in their mind as they try not to get themselves hopelessly lost.

Well, looking at the house now in front of them, the nameplate displaying _ Sakura _ in bold, engraved letters, it seems like they’ve gone the right way— Though, ringing the doorbell yields no response, it’s not until they hear a nearby deliveryman muttering to himself that they manage to get directions to Leblanc; the coffee shop that their probation officer apparently runs.

It’s a quaint little shop, the atmosphere is warm and welcoming, and as soon as they step inside, they relax. It felt like the whole city was surrounding them outside, about to swallow them up, but in here, Casper feels safe. Like the whole world suddenly faded out, and there’s nothing but the quiet background noise of the elderly couple chatting in the booth, and the TV on the wall.

For the first time so far, a genuine, soft smile grows on their lips, and they approach the aproned man just as the elderly couple passes them by to leave the shop.

The man looks up from the newspaper in his hands, and blinks at them. “Oh,” he says, as if at a loss for words for a moment, before he sighs. “Right, they did say that was today...” He puts the newspaper down on the counter and stands up straight. “So you’re him, right? Casper Magnusson?”

Casper nods. “Are you Sakura-san?” They assume so, but just to be sure.

And of course, the man nods. “I’m Sojiro Sakura.” He clarifies. “You’ll be in my custody over the next year.” A small smirk plays on his lips. “I was wondering what kind of unruly kid would show up, but you’re the one, huh?” He quirks a brow.

Of course, the kid looked nothing like the culprit of an assault— Barely 5’3’’, round cheeks and wide innocent looking eyes. They look like the kind of kid who gets along with old ladies and who people of all ages would dote on, like a little brother or something. Certainly, nothing like the so-called delinquent he’d been told of.

Casper’s smile dampens a little at the reference to their record, but they try to keep it up as best they can. “I’ll be in your care,” they bow a little.

Sojiro’s brows raise further in surprise. “Huh, so you do have manners,” he says, like he’s surprised, but at the same time he just can’t reconcile the kid in front of him with the punk in his mind. Casper, for their part, just laughs awkwardly. “Well, in any case, follow me.” Sojiro doesn’t wait for a reply, and turns to the back of the shop and walks up the stairs, hearing Casper skip to follow him.

Reaching the top, Sojiro is reminding just what a mess the attic is. He almost feels a bit bad for making the kid stay in such a dirthole, but he can’t let them stay in the house. “This is your room,” he announces, turning to Casper.

Casper takes a look around, then promptly lets out a tiny kitten sneeze into their sleeve. “It’s, ah, dusty,” they say.

Sojiro huffs a laugh that sounds more like a scoff. “It’s on you to clean up the rest,” he tells them. “I’ll at least give you sheets for your bed, though.”

“Thank you,”

He nods. “I’ll be leaving after I lock up each day,” he informs them. “You’ll be alone at night, but don’t do anything stupid. I’ll throw you out if you cause any trouble.” He warns— Soft as the kid looks, a criminal record is a criminal record, and he should make sure to lay down the law. At least it doesn’t feel so bad when Casper takes this seriously and nods without so much as looking like a kicked puppy like he expected.

Sojiro crosses his arms, turning serious. “So, I heard the gist of your situation.” Casper stiffens up, and Sojiro frowns. “You protected some woman from a man forcing himself on her, he got hurt, then sued you. Right?” Casper winces, and nods. Sojiro sighs. “That’s what you get for sticking your nose in a matter between two adults. You did injure him, yeah?”

Before Sojiro can continue, Casper frowns deeply, their eyebrows knitting together. “But," they start. "She needed  _ help _ ... I, I didn't  _ push _ him, he just..."

Sojiro turns a sharp look on them, a warning in his eyes. “Watch your tongue kid. Don’t forget you have a criminal record now because of this crap,”

Casper’s lips pull into a thin line. “B-But," they start to defend, but Sojiro cuts them off.

"No buts. You're already on thin ice with that record of yours. People aren't going to take it easily if you start talking back like that," Sojiro warns sternly, before his own expression softens, and he sighs. “Look, it’s a good thing to help people, but look where it’s gotten you,” he says. “You’ve been expelled from your high school. The courts ordered you to transfer and move out here,” he pauses for a moment. “And from what I understand, your guardian lives out of the country, and you moved here to attend a certain school. You lived in the dorms there, yeah?” He shifts and crosses a leg. “Both the school and your guardian agreed to this. In other words, they got rid of you for being a pain in the ass.”

Casper turns a bit red, and they have a look on their face like they want to retort, but they bite their lip. Pouting, in other words. It’s not the first time they’ve been kicked to the curb for being a so-called problem child, but it’s such a personal thing that hearing Sojiro say it without knowing anything about them is upsetting to say the least.

“So you better behave yourself for the year,” Sojiro continues. “If nothing happens, your probation will be lifted. Cause any problems, and you’ll be sent straight to juvie,” he warns. “We’ll be going to Shujin tomorrow, so I expect you not to sleep in.”

Casper’s thoughts halt in their tracks for a moment. Shujin... the name rings a bell, but they can’t seem to place it. Their confusion must show on their face, because Sojiro sighs.

“Shujin Academy— The school you’ll be attending,” he explains, his tone almost a little exasperated. “We’ll go introduce ourselves to the staff properly. There’s rarely a place that’ll accept someone like you, you know, so you better be on your best behavior.” He warns. _ What a waste of my Sunday _, almost spills from his lips, but he thinks better of it, looking at Casper.

“Your luggage arrived earlier,” Sojiro says, the last thing on his mental checklist for now. “I left it over there,” he nods to the box by the bed, then starts to walk Casper by, patting them on the shoulder as he makes his way back downstairs to the shop below.

As soon as he’s gone, Casper lets out a heavy sigh, their shoulders slumping as they move over to their box of stuff and all but collapse next to it. They feel more exhausted than they’ve ever felt from a simple conversation, gone through a wild ride of emotions all day. Their fingers tap along the cardboard before they peel open the box, revealing an array of clothes and a few other small necessities.

_ For now _ , they pause to look around their mess of a room, the dust tickling their nose. _ I guess I’ll change into something more comfortable and clean up a little _... 

* * *

It’s not until after they’ve cleaned up and checked in for the night, Sojiro having locked up and gone back home, that their phone vibrates in their pocket with a text. It startles them a little, since they had already slid into bed, but they pull out their phone and open it up, squinting at the brightness of their screen.

Jun :)  
  
Casper. I’m sorry I couldn’t text you sooner. How are you doing? Are you settling in alright? Is Sakura-san treating you well?  
  
I'm okay!!!  
  
It's okay Nii-san, I know you're really busy :(  
  
Please don't worry about me!! I'm okay :)  
  
Of course I worry. I couldn’t even be there for you when they arrested you... I’m still sorry.  
  
Maybe I could have done something if I had just been there...  
  
Nii-san...

Casper frowns sadly at their phone, their heart breaking for him. They can only imagine how much he must blame himself for it. He promised to protect them, but he wasn't there when they needed him... That's what he's thinking, they're sure. It's not his fault. It's really not. But they can't find the words to explain so, even if hearing him blame himself is heartbreaking.

Jun :)  
  
I’m still looking into what happened. I promise I’ll make it right, okay?  
  
You should rest soon. It's late.  
  
You should rest too!!! Please don't overwork yourself Nii-san  
  
Trust me, I'm okay :) I'm suuuper super strong, you know??  
  
I have the power of magic on my side!!  
  
Yes.. You're very strong, Casper. You've been so strong and brave through it all this whole time.  
  
I'm proud of you.  
  
I promise I wont stay up too late. Goodnight Casper.

Casper is caught completely off guard by his sincerity, and their cheeks turn pink and their chest fills with warmth. A soft smile makes it's way to their lips, and if they didn't have such naturally dry eyes, maybe they would have teared up at the message. To hear the older brother they look up to so much, say that he's proud of them... It's more comforting than anything, especially during a time where they had felt so lost and alone...

Jun :)  
  
Thank you... Goodnight Nii-san :)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Some notes:  
\- I'll be keeping things firstname surname  
\- However I'll be keeping honorifics because they add character to the way each person speaks  
\- "but beq, why does casper refer to this Jun character as nii-san if theyre clearly foreign?" because casper is very polite thank you and they think its really nice to have a specific title to call a sibling  
\- also yes jun is lying about going to bed soon. this man does not sleep.  
\- i was going to say something else but i forgot thank you for reading and i hope u emjoy  
\- i love casper with my whole heart  
\- oh my god i remembered i was going to link their reference hahaha i forgot how to do links  
\- [Casper's official doc.](https://docs.google.com/document/d/1YTBAn2hnA5gSi3zXhJ5yEpspz3aTQRFxDaMjygpxS0w/edit?usp=sharing)  
\- also jun actually belongs to my beloved boyfriend mwwah ty honey i love u


	2. Chapter 2

_You are lost, Trickster. A prisoner of fate, with no face to show. You hide and switch masks as easily as you shuffle cards, but pretending to be a ghost won't get you anywhere._  


* * *

Lost in thought, Casper stares out the car window as Sojiro sits at the wheel. It's silent, leaving Casper alone with their thoughts, giving them the time to reminisce.

For some reason, they feel like they were having a very important dream last night, but for the life of them they can't seem to recall the details. A vivid blue, eyes more golden than their own, and the sound of rattling chains are what stuck with them when they awoke. They had little time to dwell on it in the morning, as Sojiro came by too soon after and ordered them to hurry up and get dressed.

Now here they are on their way to Shujin Academy, where Casper will soon be attending. The whole vibe feels so much different than Komorebi Academy, it makes them nervous. For one, Komorebi never had mandatory uniforms. They hadn't thought much of it, but maybe their previous school was the eccentric one in this case.

The car ride is silent, and it only adds to their nerves. With Sojiro's eyes on the road, Casper ducks their head and focuses on fiddling with one of their keychains. They'd pull out their deck of cards to shuffle idly, but they don't want Sojiro to yell at them if they drop them in the car. Or for making noise.

"We're here," Sojiro suddenly speaks up as the car comes to a stop, pulling Casper from their thoughts with a flinch.

"Oh— Okay!" Casper nods quickly and pulls their bag over their shoulder, stepping out of the car as Sojiro does.

"Best behavior, alright kid? Don’t cause me any trouble," Sojiro warns, and Casper can barely get a nod in before Sojiro turns and starts walking into the school without them, and they practically scramble to follow.

The school is smaller than Komorebi, obviously, since Komorebi includes a dormitory for students to live on campus, and other odds and ends they may need for school life, but the place doesn't feel empty at least. Signs of life are all around the halls, posters and tables with boxes of folders, sports equipment and shoes left in the halls. However something about the school unnerves them, like something is off. It's a prestigious prep school, but who knows what could be under the covers?

In any case, it doesn't take long for them to find their way to the principal's office in the school, where Casper meets Principal Kobayakawa for the first time; a bald, heavy man in a brown-yellow suit, and their first impression from the few words he speaks is that this man is _ rude _ and _ arrogant _.

The other person in the room is a woman with messy brown hair, and a comfy looking yellow long sleeved shirt. She seems tired, like she doesn’t want to be here. But she also levels Casper with an almost _ curious _ gaze.

“To reiterate, just so we’re clear, you will be immediately expelled if you cause any problems,” Kobayakawa says, his expression stern and glaring. “Honestly, I hesitated on even accepting someone like you, but there were some circumstances on our side.” He sighs. “You might have done a variety of things in hiding in your hometown, but you will behave yourself here. If you are thrown out from our school, there will be no place for you to go. Keep that in mind.”

Casper’s brows furrow, and their lip quivers, but they keep their words to themselves, even if it hurts to be accused of such things. They nod softly. “Yes sir,” they say quietly.

Kobayakawa nods, accepting their response, before he turns to gesture to the woman beside him. “This is the teacher in charge of your class.”

She stands up a little taller at the attention. “I’m Sadayo Kawakami,” she introduces. “Here’s your student ID,” she reaches out a small handbook towards Casper, who is quick to take it. “Be sure to read all the school rules. Any violations will send you straight to the guidance office.”

Casper takes a brief moment to flip through it, before putting it into their pocket, giving her their full attention as she continues, but she looks away, almost guilty. “And, if by chance you _ do _ cause problems, I won't be able to protect you at all.” She adds, and Casper’s frown only deepens. Her lack of faith is hurtful, of course. And aren’t teachers supposed to look out for their students?

Kobayakawa simply nods in agreement. “He is responsible for all his actions.” He adds, and looks to Sojiro. “Sakura-san, please keep a close eye on him. Make sure he doesn’t cause any trouble outside of school,”

“Well,” Sojiro crosses his arms. “I’ll be sure to have a serious talk about the situation he’s in,” he says, and Kobayakawa nods approvingly.

Before Casper can feel totally like a wallflower, Kawakami turns to them again. “Come to the faculty office when you arrive at school tomorrow. I’ll show you to your classroom,” she instructs.

They stand up a little straighter. “Okay,” they agree, their voice coming out just a little too soft.

As soon as they step out of the office, Sojiro sighs. “They’re treating you like some kind of nuisance.” He points out. “Guess that’s what it means to have a criminal record... turns out, your past follows you everywhere,”

He looks over to Casper, who has gone silent again since leaving the room, a pout on their lips as they keep their head down and eyes trained on the ground. “Hey,” Sojiro calls to them, making them snap their head up. “You gonna be able to handle it here?”

Casper nods quickly. “Of course! Um, I’m really good at making friends, and, uh,”

“That’s not what I mean,” he cuts off. “You looked white as a ghost in there,”

Casper flinches, and they avert their eyes nervously. “Th— They’re,” they hesitate. “Um, Kawakami-sensei doesn’t seem too bad,” they manage to say, bringing their hands up to fidget together. “Um... the principle is kind of scary,”

“_ Scary _?” Sojiro repeats incredulously, with something almost like a scoff. He watches Casper’s nervous form and his eyebrows go up. “You’re serious,” he says, and Casper turns pink in embarrassment. Sojiro sighs, and scratches the back of his head. “Look, kid, regardless of what happened, you have a criminal record now, and they’re gonna be treating you like you’re on thin ice. That’s what happens.”

They only pout further. “Prejudice,” they mutter.

Sojiro rolls his eyes and sighs. “Just keep your head down and stay out of trouble, and you’ll be fine, alright?” He tells them, and turns away. “Come on. Let’s get home. I have a store to open,”

* * *

The first day of school. Nerve Wracking, to say the least. A new school, filled with teachers who already hate their guts— an exaggeration, hopefully, but still— and... without their friends. Without Alexis, without Tsuru, without Shima, without _ Renzo _. They can’t imagine going through the day without their best friend, their beloved Renzo. They knew it would be this way, but now on the day of, their vividly aware of it. The whole year, without their bright smile, cute curly hair... Without their warm hugs.

They let out a sad sounding sigh before they know it, and it catches Sojiro’s attention as they sulk past. “What’s with you?” He asks.

Casper’s head snaps up, and they realize just how obvious they were. “Oh, um... It’s nothing, just felt a little homesick, s’all,” they mumble, and pause for a moment. “Miss my friends,”

Sojiro doesn’t immediately respond, his stern face softening for a moment and he nods in understanding. “Sit down and eat, kid,” he speaks up, putting a plate of curry down on the counter. “Get your strength. Didn’t you say you were good at making friends?”

Casper blinks and sits down obediently. They offer a weak smile. “Yeah,” they say. “I’ll find friends before you know it!” They declare, before digging in— Curry may not be their favorite; just a bit too mushy in texture, but the spice makes up for it. _ Could be spicier, though. _

“Don’t forget to head to the faculty office first thing,” Sojiro reminds them.

Casper nods just as they swallow down the last of their curry. “Thanks for the food,” they finish, putting their plate down and hopping off the seat. “I’ll be going now!” They chirp, putting a smile on their face as they skip over to the door.

They pause for a moment, making sure they have their umbrella, before taking off.

It doesn’t take too long for Casper to find their way towards the school, though they nearly get turned around trying to make the train transfer in the middle— doesn’t help that the timetables are off because of the accident from the other day.

Still, they manage, and eventually they find their way, but as predicted, it begins to rain, so Casper ducks under the cover of a nearby awning in order to pull out their umbrella— A cute, frilly one that Tsuru had gifted to them, of course decorated with little Halloween charms hanging from the handle. As they do, though, they feel their phone vibrate with a text, which has them pause.

Mitt hjärta  
  
GOODMORNGNG I MISS YOU  


It’s Renzo, their beloved Renzo... Casper smiles, bittersweet, as their heart fills with affection, and their fingers tap along the screen to reply.

Mitt hjärta  
  
GOODMORNGNG I MISS YOU  
  
Good morning!!  
  
I miss you tooo :( I wish we could walk to school together like usual  
  
It’s raining right now...  
  
RAINN... WE COULD SHARE AN. UMBRELLA... :}  
  
YOU ARE VERYY SMALL AND FIT IN MY ARM  
  
S.  
  
Like a teddy bear :)  
  
:}  


Casper giggles, reading their texts. Renzo’s way of typing has always been so cute, so fun. It never fails to make them smile. Even if they’re apart right now, they’re always going to be together, the two of them. Casper is sure of that, if nothing else.

As they close out of the text app for the time being, though, they spot something else; the creepy eyeball app from the other day. That’s odd... They deleted it, hadn’t they? Logically they should again, it’s probably just a virus, but their curiosity gets the better of them, and they click open the app, and—

Someone joins them under the awning, distracting them. They look up and find a pretty girl with bright blue eyes and pretty silver blonde hair done up in cute pigtails, seeking shelter from the rain. She turns, catching them staring, and offers a polite smile.

It takes them a moment, but Casper recognizes her uniform— It’s for the very same school Casper is on their way towards. Perhaps, maybe, this is an opportunity. “Good morning!” Casper chirps, a bright smile on their lips.

Her own smile becomes a little more genuine. “Good morning,” she returns the greeting. “Nice weather we’re having, huh?” She jokes a little, and Casper giggles.

“It’s not so bad!” They say, then hold up their umbrella. “We, um, both go to Shujin, right? Wanna share?” They offer.

The girl blinks, looking surprised. “Really? Are you sure?” She asks, and Casper raises an eyebrow.

“Why wouldn’t I be?” They ask.

She stares at them for a moment, then smiles softly. “That’d be awesome,” she finally answers, and Casper skips a little closer to let her under the umbrella. “I haven’t seen you around, have I?” She asks.

“Nope! I’m new,” Casper answers easily. “I’m Casper!” They introduce.

“Ann Takamaki,” the girl, Ann, replies, and the two begin a casual walk towards the school.

“Nice to meet you, Takamaki-san!” Casper gives her a bright smile. “I hope we can be friends,”

Ann giggles. “You don’t need to be so polite,” she says. “You can just call me Ann. You’re a second year, right?” She asks.

“Yup!”

“We might even be in the same class, then,” she says. “I hope so. I’m—” Ann cuts off abruptly as a car drives by slowly, and she’s quick to react to a threat Casper is unaware of, and she raises a hand to push on the rod of the umbrella; tilting it back and obscuring the both of them from view as the car passes them by.

Casper blinks up at her, oblivious. “Ann?” They say softly.

She snaps back to look at them. “Uh, sorry,” she says. “Just wanted to, uh... avoid someone,”

Casper looks around curiously, confused, then turns back to her. “Are you okay?” They ask, noting how uncomfortable she looks.

“Yeah,” Ann says easily. “Just... well, you’re new, so...” she looks troubled, and she pauses in her step as she thinks carefully over her words. “I guess I should warn you... Just, when you get to school, try to stay away from Kamoshida-sensei,” she says seriously.

So serious, in fact, it sends a shiver up Casper’s spine, and their heart sinks. “Why?” They ask, their voice so soft.

Ann gives them a look, something they can’t really describe. Almost like pity, or maybe like worry. Something sad, like she knows a terrible secret. She probably does, from what Casper can pick up, and the implications and possibilities are unnerving.

“He’s...” She pauses, her expression scrunching up. “Look, I’ll be blunt with you,” she lowers her voice. “There’s some.. Rumors, about me and him, okay? Just.. don’t listen to any of them. They’re not true.” She scowls, and turns her expression down to glare at the sidewalk. “He’s just— Some perverted _ jerk _ of a teacher... He’s always acting like Shujin is his personal castle, and _ he’s _ the king,” Ann suddenly hisses.

Casper’s concern only raises tenfold. “Wh— What?” They whisper, horrified. That’s definitely not something one wants to hear about a teacher at their school.

“Don’t worry, he hasn’t... done anything,” the _ yet _ is left unspoken, but Casper catches it easily. Not to mention the expression she has says it’s not quite the truth, but Casper is almost afraid to push it. “He’s just an egotistical jerk, for the most part. Just try to stay away from him,”

Still... Casper offers her a supportive smile. “Thank you,” they say. “For telling me. And, um, we’re friends now! So, if you ever need help...” They trail off.

Ann smiles again, and Casper’s own smile only grows in response, delighted to remove the frown from her pretty face. “Thanks,” she says. “Now, come on, before we’re both late,” she laughs a little.

Casper nods, and they take a step, before a feeling of dizziness takes over them, and the world blurs for a moment as a sharp pain stings their mind, and they almost stumble. Wincing, a hand flies to their head.

Ann lets out a hiss beside them, as if she’d felt it too. “Geez,” she sighs. “I hope I’m not getting sick,” she looks up at the rainy sky.

“We better hurry then,” Casper says. “Shouldn’t stay out in the rain any longer than we need to...”

The walk is pretty quick, all things considering. Most of the people seem to have cleared by now and walked on without them, so it’s just them chatting softly as they make their way towards the school, getting to know each other. Casper is delighted; Ann is very sweet and fun! They hope that this means they can become friends, especially if they end up in the same class.

Ann... for some reason, she seems almost lonely. Casper can’t imagine why; a girl as fun and pretty as her should be surrounded by friends! But.. then again, she mentioned some _ rumors _... Maybe she’s more isolated than they thought. Almost as if out of place.

Casper knows the feeling.

As they’re contemplating on this, they make a mental note to bring some small props with them next time, to dazzle her with some magic tricks and bring a smile to her face, they arrive at school— 

Or, they should have.

Ann lets out a choked gasp suddenly, interrupting Casper mid-sentence, and she stares with wide-eyes ahead of them. Confused, Casper quickly turns and... promptly drops their umbrella.

“H-Hey, wait— What _ is _ this?!” Ann exclaims, shocked.

Of course she would be, given that, instead of their school, the building before them is a large, gaudy pink castle, towering over them. It has a strange vibe, like a physical aura of foreboding, and it makes Casper’s skin crawl and the hair on their arms stand on end.

Nervously, they clutch at the fabric of Ann’s uniform. “Um... Wasn’t this, supposed to be the school?” They ask. Sure enough, the sign out front _ does _ say ‘Shujin Academy’... What in the world is going on? There’s no way they could remodel the whole school into a castle within a day, even if they _ wanted _ to.

“Um,” Ann seems just as lost as they are, though. “I, I don’t know, this... _ should _ be the school? Is something going on?” She wonders aloud. “Do we go in and ask?” Ann turns to them with the suggestion.

Casper can only shrug. “I... I guess?” They’re not sure what other options they have. It’s as good a choice as any, as far as they can tell. Maybe.

Ann shuffles nervously, looking back to the castle. “Uh, you first,” she says.

Fair enough, Casper thinks, they wouldn’t want to go first either, but it’s the least they could do to help reassure their new friend. They even take her hand, which she squeezes in response, as they walk up to the heavy castle doors. It seems like they aren’t the only one who feels how... distorted, this place feels.

Stepping inside, they feel a chill run down their spine. It’s a grand entrance, fit for a castle, but filled with heart-shaped decor and rose petals scattered on the royal red carpet. It feels disgusting.

“Helloooo?” Ann calls out as bravely as she can, hoping to get some answers. “Seriously, what _ is _ this place..?”

Her answer, comes in the form of thumping footsteps, the sound of metal, before large armored guards stomp into the room, surrounding them. Casper barely holds in a choked yell, and they press closer to Ann just as she does the same. “Hey, wh— what do you think you’re doing?!” She shouts as they press around them in a circle.

“It’s the princess!” One of them shouts, and the others gasp.

“Princess, what are you doing with this intruder?”

Ann looks back and forth between the guards, then to Casper, and back. “Princess? Do you— Do you mean, me?” She asks. Maybe it’s supposed to be a compliment, but it just makes her feel slimy.

“You shouldn’t leave your room without the King, Princess!” One of the guards reaches for her. “Who knows what dangerous intruders may do!” They grab her by the arm, and another grabs for Casper.

“Hey— Stop! Stop it! Let me go!” Ann shouts, reaching for Casper as they’re pulled apart.

Casper can feel their pulse spiking, fear beating a drum in their chest as their hand slips from hers. “Ann!” They shout as they’re yanked away.

“Stay still, intruder!” The guard shouts. “Don’t touch the Princess!”

Casper ignores the guard, ripping their arm from their grip and making a dash towards Ann as they try to surround her and cut the two of them apart.

Ann goes wide-eyed, her face paling drastically as she watches them charge towards her. She reaches out to them, though blocked by a metal arm, and she shouts.

“_ CASPER! LOOK OUT—! _”

Something hard slams into the back of their head, and the world goes dark.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> me: im going to write this chapter  
me, overcome with feelings of Love for renzo and casper: ANd I Will Include Renzo Of Course.
> 
> did u know, of course u didnt bc renzo and casper are my and my boyfriends ocs, but did u know their ship name is costco. thank u for ur time.
> 
> [renzo is like that guy on /r/ambien abt his wife, but all the time](https://twitter.com/kyleauxren/status/1107023809935298560)


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